James Brady, gun-control advocate wounded in '81 attack on President Reagan, dies at 73

James Brady, a former White House press secretary who became a prominent advocate for gun control after he was severely wounded in a 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan, died Monday following what his family described as a series of health issues. He was 73 years old.

The attack on Reagan by John W. Hinckley Jr. also injured the president and two others outside a Washington, D.C., hotel, but they fully recovered. Brady, who was shot in the head, was left permanently disabled and spent much of the rest of his life in a wheelchair. However, he went on to lobby successfully for a federal law requiring background checks on gun buyers and led the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

“Jim Brady’s zest for life was apparent to all who knew him, and despite his injuries and the pain he endured every day, he used his humor, wit and charm to bring smiles to others and make the world a better place,” said his family in a statement provided to Fox News. “Over the years, Jim inspired so many people as he turned adversity into accomplishment.”